Frank's Story of Testicular Cancer. Sometimes raw, but real. Read knowing there may be COLORFUL language and frank (and Frank) talk. He's done with treatment now (hence the HAD Cancer title—although we keep the blog address the same) and we are now in surveillance mode.

Friday, February 18, 2005

My friend Emend

Cycle 2, week 1. The nausea gets worse progressively during the week, and by Friday it's really dragging me down. I never get physically sick, but the gag reflex is there every time I lean over. I'd much prefer to just get it over with and vomit, but no such relief.

Fortunately, there is better living available through pharmaceuticals. The fine folks at Merck make this little gem of a drug called Emend, which is sort of like a Z-pack for the chemo crowd. You get three pills - one heavy dose for the first day, and two lighter doses for the next two days. The good news is, it worked like a champ. I felt much better. No more gagging.

The bad news is twofold: First, it's freakin' expensive (but what good drug isn't?) - about $350 for the three capsules. Also, the insurance goons weighed in and said they'd need two days to go through the approval process before they'd agree to pay for it. Of course, this was Friday, so that meant it would be the following Tuesday or Wednesday by the time things snaked their way through the system. Well, that's all well and good, but I need it today, not next week.

So we went out on a limb and paid for it out of pocket, in the hope that things will work themselves out in the end. Thank goodness for the Discover cash back bonus! We financed our wedding on Discover, why not cancer as well? (The pre-chemo trip certainly was, anyway)

We'll have to keep on top of the paper chase to make sure things get taken care of. In the meantime, it's dinner time!

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comments:

Gotta love Harold and Kumar. I lost it when they rode that Cheetah! E-mend is good stuff. It is really doing the trick for me this time around. Sorry to hear your insurance isn't covering it. Keep track of all those medical receipts for tax time next year.

One thing I had to face when all this happened to me is that there are many things in life more important than money.

harold and kumar?!? that's my kind of entertainment, now! course the version i watched was illegally taped from a theatre...a one point somebody walked in front of the camera! oh, good times. anyway, enjoy your quality entertainment and i hope things are going well for you all...much love! danielle